My Brother's Best Friend
by Scythe Rose
Summary: Maka Albarn finds herself in a pickle when she's stranded in the middle of a rain storm with no way to get home. That is until she comes across her adopted brother's best friend, Soul Evans and his beloved motorcycle. He's no stranger, but Maka finds herself seeing him in a whole new light, and she's scared of what she sees. Rated T for language, M possible in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Maka cursed to herself as she felt a drop of rain splash against her thigh. Of course, today of all days, Death City decided it was time for a torrential downpour, as if her day wasn't bad enough. First, the boy ranked second in her class, Ox, decided to start an argument with her, insisting that his hypothesis was right. He was wrong of course, and Professor Stein put an end to Ox's whining by threatening to demonstrate a dissection on him.

Death City, Nevada was a desert town, but once in a long while, it seemed that enough rain fell to fill the Grand Canyon. Citizens of Death City would huddle inside their homes until the downpour stopped, only going out when absolutely necessary. Maka would be doing just that, except she was stuck at school. The pigtailed teen had just gotten out of her debate club meeting, waiting on the steps leading up to Death City High School for her papa. He seemed to have forgotten about her, probably preoccupied with one of his whores again. Maka let out a sigh, standing up to start the long, wet walk home.

She wrapped her black trench coat around her exposed legs, cursing her papa eternally for being such a flirt. With a scowl, she trudged down the steps, feeling lucky that she wore her water proof black boots today. She walked across the mostly empty parking lot, save a few cars belonging to staff, when a streak of orange caught her eye.

She stopped and turned her head to the right, limp ash blonde pigtails swishing, and focused on an orange and black motorcycle that most certainly did _not_ belong to a staff member, but rather her adopted brother's best friend, Soul "Eater" Evans. Jade green eyes flitted to the figure leaning against said motorcycle.

"Need a lift?" Soul called.

"On that death trap? In the rain?" she asked incredulously.

"You got a better idea? Your books will get soaked and the rain's only gonna pick up from here," he pointed out.

She got closer, squinting to shield herself from the frosty rain.

"You're already soaked," he repeated.

"I could say the same for you," she said, eyeing him.

His stark white hair, usually gelled up, was stuck to his forehead, his sneakers and ankles of his jeans were wet, as was his red v-neck. The only thing that seemed relatively dry was his black leather jacket, stretched across broad shoulders.

"Well, I'd rather not stand here any longer. Hop on," he patted the back half of the cycle's seat, handing her a black helmet. "That'll keep that big brain of yours protected."

"Uh-" Maka was at a loss for words, "it's okay, I can walk."

"Not even Black Star would do that," Soul convinced.

At the mention of her sibling's name, she rolled her green eyes before grabbing the helmet and shoving it over her head begrudgingly.

"You can put your bag in here," the white haired boy opened a side compartment where his bag was residing.

"Thanks," she said, sound muffled by the helmet covering her face.

She sat tentatively on the leather seat as if the motorcycle was magically going to come to life and flatten her into roadkill.

Soul, who was already sitting in front of her rolled his ruby eyes. "Maka, it's not going to kill you. I've had Marley for years and she hasn't gotten in a single accident." He reassured her.

"You named your motorcycle?" she asked, "And it's a she?"

"Yeah, got a problem with that?" he replied defensively.

"No, not at all," she sighed, swinging her right leg over the other side.

"You might wanna hold on," Soul suggested, revving the engine.

"To what?" she asked, confused.

"Me. You don't want to fall off." He replied, sounding almost nice.

"Right," she hesitated before finally wrapping her arms around his middle.

He was warm, really warm, and he smelled like cinnamon, aftershave, and nutmeg. Maka regained focus and steeled herself for the ride ahead, the white haired teen shooting out of the parking lot like a rocket. Maka's grip tightened immensely around his midsection, screams swallowed by the wind and rain. She almost couldn't believe herself, Maka fucking Albarn was riding bitch seat on _oh so cool_ Soul Evans' motorcycle. She had never had a real conversation with him until now, but they had gone to the same school since elementary, and he was best friends with her almost-brother, Blake Estrella, or Black Star. It was a ridiculous name that he had coined once he started styling his spiky blue hair into a five-pointed store atop his head. Maka had no idea how calm and gentle Tsubaki dealt with his exuberance sometimes.

The pair whipped down Main Street, Soul veering to take a left onto Prior Avenue, then a right onto Azure Way. They came to a stop in front of 42 Azure Way, a blue house decorated with white trim.

Maka was still holding onto Soul like a vice, and he calmly pointed out that they were home.

"Oh," she muttered, not meeting his eyes. Under her helmet, she sported a crimson blush, dying down as she unwrapped her arms. "Here," she offered, pulling off the black helmet. "Thanks for the ride, you can come in and say hi to Star if you want." She mentally slapped herself, why couldn't she do anything right? Invite him in? What was she thinking?

"Sure," Soul replied coolly, grabbing her bag from the side compartment before heading up the few steps, into the house. "Yo Star!" he called from the foyer.

Maka trailed in after Soul and shut the door behind her.

"Bro!" Black Star jumped up to greet his best bud. "Don't take this the wrong way, but why are you here? Or is it because you wanted to worship your favorite god?" Black Star cackled loudly, jumping on the table.

Both Maka and Soul sighed, sharing a look.

"Nah, I just gave Maka a ride home and she offered." Soul said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Oh Maka! I didn't see you there!" Black Star yelled, hopping off to greet her.

She came out from behind Soul, groaning at him to be quiet.

"How was my most loyal disciple's debate club meeting?" Black Star asked at a slightly lower decibel.

"Fine," Maka said, pushing past him to go change.

"She's trying to cover up the fact that she was scared shitless on the way here. I took my motorcycle," Soul informed his blue headed friend. "Her knuckles were white and she was still holding on after I had parked." He chuckled softly.

Black Star's boisterous laughter could probably be heard from a mile away. "I won't let her live this down!" he said, grinning maniacally. "Maks ins't scared of much, but fast two wheeled vehicles is one of the things she _is_ scared of. Anyways, wanna play some Killer Zombie 4?"

"Nah, I got a shit ton of homework to do, but I'll come by tomorrow." Soul told him.

"Nerd! Spend any more time with Maka and you'll become a nerd like her too. There's a term for that that Maka made me go over," Black Star recalled. "I wasn't paying attention, but at least she tried.

Soul chuckled, "Osmosis?"

"Yeah! That's it. Oh god bro, Maks is totally turning you into a bookworm. Pretty soon you'll be growing mushrooms out of your head! Anyways, see you later bromie," Black Star came over and clapped him on the back.

Soul turned and winced involuntarily at Black Star's overuse of the word "bro" along with the many creative ways he combined it with other words. He raised a tan hand, waving goodbye as he slipped out the door.

"So Maks," Black Star started to say, barging into Maka's room.

"You idiot!" Maka shrieked, grabbing a t-shirt to cover her chest with.

"Shit!" Black Star screamed, slamming the door. "Sorry!"

"You should knock you imbecile!" Maka fumed from the other side, rolling the shirt down her torso.

"It's not like you had anything to look at!" Black Star argued defensively.

Maka screamed in frustration. "At least I don't have the IQ of a grape!" she retorted angrily.

"Gods don't need to be nerds like you!" Black Star cackled again.

The blonde knew she wouldn't get anywhere with this argument, so she grudgingly opened the door.

"What do you want?" she eyed him suspiciously.

"I was just gonna ask why you got a ride home from Soul." he replied innocently.

"Papa forgot that I had a meeting today," Maka growled, perching on her bed in the corner. "Good for nothing, cheating, insensitive, womanizing, forgetful bastard," she continued.

"Damn," Black Star sighed, sitting next to her on the bed.

"Yeah, I started to walk home and I saw Soul's motorcycle, and he offered me a ride." She responded. "Now leave me alone Star, I need to study." she shoved him off the bed.

"But Baki is busy too and I'm bored!" Black Star whined.

"Don't make me Maka Chop you," she threatened darkly.

"Fine fine! I give!" Black Star raised his hands in defense, slowly backing out of the room. "I'll cook tonight!" he added from down the hall.

Maka just yawned, knowing that by cook, Black Star meant ordering pizza from Luigi's.

She hoisted her book bag onto her bed, pulling out her copy of Little Women, set on finishing it. Her mind kept wandering off to Soul, enigmatic Soul, but she stopped herself. He was her brother's best friend! He had frequented her house many times before, but it wasn't really until today that she held a substantial conversation with the mysterious boy. She had never really looked at him, but she realized that he was very tall, very attractive, and very reserved. Maka had no idea why, but she trusted him, which was saying a lot considering her papa's cheating ways.

Speaking of her papa, he still hadn't arrived home. Chances are, he was staying with some buxom lady who was everything but proportionate. Maka threaded a hand through her damp ash blonde hair, hoisting herself off of the queen bed and venturing her way into the living room. Black Star was sitting in the middle of the couch, shouting obscenities at the flat screen in front of him.

"Whatcha up to?" she asked as nonchalantly as possible.

"Yanno, killing zombies, the usual," the loud boy answered, eyes glued to the screen. "Wanna order pizza? I'm a bit preoccupied."

"Already on it," Maka called from the kitchen as she dialed Luigi's. She ordered a large meat lovers pizza for Black Star and a small pepperoni for herself before hanging up. "I'm gonna go get it," she informed him, pulling on her black boots and signature black trench coat. "The rain's let up, wanna come with?" she offered bleakly, knowing the answer already.

"Oh Maka, you never learn." Black Star fake chided.

"I'll be back in thirty," she reasoned before exiting the house.

The walk to Luigi's took ten minutes, and her name was being called just as she walked in the door. Maka fished out cash from her pocket, counting it before handing it over to the pretty brunette waitress.

"Have a nice evening!" the brunette chirped.

"You too," Maka smiled sweetly before grabbing the boxes and pushing the door open with her shoulder.

Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she turned around to see Soul standing there in his skinny jean glory.

"Oh hey," she grinned at him. "What brings you here?"

"I just finished eating," he stated rather obviously.

"Oh, that makes sense," Maka stared dumbly at him for a second. "Wait, you were alone?"

"Yeah, I usually am. Wes is away at college and my parents have better things to do," he admitted quietly.

"Nonsense!" Maka exclaimed. "Come over to my place, Star is dying to play Killer Zombie 4 with you. He proclaims he's gonna kick your ass into next Tuesday," she rolled her jade eyes at this.

"Sounds like Black Star alright," Soul flashed his shark teeth. "I'll come along I guess," he shrugged. "Black Star is gonna eat my dust." His ruby red eyes glinted with determination.

"Please beat him, or else he won't stop bragging to me about how godly he is. I've had too many sleepless nights where he decides to barge in and go on yet another godly rant of his. Talk about extreme case of god complex," Maka grieved for her only child status.

"How long have you lived with him anyway?" Soul wondered aloud as they walked down Main Street.

"Since we were two. Sid and Nygus had to do business overseas before they came back, so the court anointed custody to my papa. Lousy dad he is, but Blair was a big help." Maka admitted shyly, avoiding Soul's heated gaze.

"Blair?" Soul asked, "As in the woman your dad cheated on your mom with?"

"Yes, that Blair." Maka nodded. "This sounds twisted and messed up but she was there for us when my mama left. Of course, we didn't' know what was going on, and I love my mom, but Blair was more present. When my dad was too drunk to function, she'd cook and tuck us into bed at night." she concluded.

"Wow," Soul said at a loss for words.

"Kinda complicated. When I was in middle school, I was always defending my mama. She was braver than my papa could ever be. But as I got older, I realized it was her who left without a trace. She could've taken us with her, but she didn't. She knew what a skeez my dad was, and I know what he did was unforgettable and unforgivable, but she could at least write sometime." Maka took a deep breath, embarrassed that she had opened up.

"That's not cool."

"No, it isn't." Maka reiterated as she climbed the steps. "But that's life for you. Black Star! I'm back!" she yelled once inside the foyer.

"PIZZA!" Black Star leapt off the couch and dashed over to his sister, whisking away the boxes of fresh pizza. He tore the larger one open and sandwiched two slices of pizza together before chomping down. "Oh, hi Soul!" he greeted with a mouthful of pizza.

"Gross, Black Star," Maka made a face. "Chew your food before you inhale it!"

"A god like me doesn't need to chew!" Black Star pointed to himself with his free hand. He was proved wrong when he started hacking uncontrollably, bending over the table and spitting up almost an entire meatball.

"You're disgusting," Soul winced before sitting down to Black Star's right, grabbing a slice.

Maka took a seat to her brother's left, opening her own box of pizza, chewing slowly. She rolled her eyes as the boys got into a heated debate about whether Killer Zombie 4 was better than Chainsaw Zombie Slayer 2. This was Maka's cue to leave, so she stood up without a word and retreated back into her room.

Having already finished Little Women, she decided to read one of the romance novels Liz had given her to borrow. The cover housed an extremely buff man with an alluring woman scantly dressed next to him. Maka rolled her eyes at the ridiculous overkill, but gave in and read it anyways. It didn't take her very long to finish that book either, so she ventured back into the zombie killing war zone to feed her and her brother's dogs, a corgi named Mr. Peanut Butter and a pit bull named Sid. She bent down to pet both dogs before filling their bowls with kibble and refilling their water bowl. They both yapped happily before devouring the dry food, exiting to the backyard through the doggie door.

"You know what I find funny?" Soul asked from his spot on the couch during a break.

"What?" Black Star and Maka asked in unison.

"The fact that Black Star's dog is Mr. Peanut Butter and Maka's is Sid," Soul guffawed. "You'd think Maka would have the smaller and cuter dog and Star would have the bigger, tougher one."

"Hey! Mr. Peanut Butter is a worthy companion for a god such as myself!" Black Star defended.

"I just think it's ironic," Soul shrugged his broad shoulders.

"What's that mean again?" Black Star sat there with a blank expression.

"Really?" Maka asked incredulously.

"Jeez Star, you've been living with little miss braniac for what, 14 years? And you don't know what ironic means," he deadpanned.

"Gods don't need to waste their time on mortal vocabulary," Black Star proclaimed. "Yahoo!" he cheered, switching the game back on without warning, leaving the snowy haired teen next to him scrambling for the controller.

"I'm gonna go to bed," Maka announced from behind the couch. "Goodnight, don't break anything!" She directed this at Black Star.

"Night Maks, don't worry. I got this bro," Black Star did everything but reassure her.

She was too tired to start an argument, deciding to let it go and hope for the best. Maka changed into blue pj shorts and a black tank top, running to the bathroom to brush her hair and teeth before falling asleep right after her head hit the pillow. Luckily, she was a deep sleeper and didn't hear the shouts and jeers coming from the living room.

The girl awoke well-rested the next morning. She stretched her limbs and yawned, pushing herself into a sitting position where she checked the time. It was 9 AM. Oddly enough, she had slept in more than usual. She padded into the kitchen as quietly as possible, knowing the boys had fallen asleep on the floor in front of the TV. She put bread in the toaster and poured herself some orange juice, deciding that Black Star and Soul could make their own food when they woke up. After the toast was buttered and plated, she sat down at the wooden dining table, munching on breakfast. There was a soft knock at the door, and Maka groaned inwardly. Who could that be?

She stood up on her tip toes to stare through the peep hole, hoping it wasn't a murderer. To her luck, it was Blair! Maka unlocked the white door hastily, putting a finger to her lips and signaling for Blair to come in quietly.

"What? Why?" Blair whispered, stepping into the entryway after the teen.

"Soul and Black Star are asleep," Maka whispered back, staring at Blair's clothes, or lack thereof. Her outfit was comprised of black hot pants and a tight purple halter neck t-shirt that did little good to cover up Blair's bulging assets. Make subconsciously covered her slight chest in embarrassment.

"My little kittens are growing up so fast!" The purple haired woman gushed, heading towards Maka's room where they could talk freely.

Maka trailed in after her, shutting the door. "What brings you here?" she asked.

"Nya, I just wanted to see how my kittens were doing!" Blair squeezed Maka into a tight hug, her face plonking straight into her ample cleavage.

"We're fine," Maka tapped Blair on the stomach, indicating that she was suffocating.

"Sorry!" Blair pulled back, holding Maka at arms length. "You've gotten so much bigger!"

"Not really," Maka grumbled.

"Where's Spirit?" Blair inquired.

"Not here, haven't heard from him." Maka muttered, voice laced with distaste for the redhead in question. "He forgot to pick me up from school yesterday and neglected to come home for dinner." She said with great disdain.

"Sounds like him," Blair agreed.

The thing that set Blair apart from the rest of Spirit's affairs was that she genuinely cared about Maka, Black Star, and any other child who crossed the Albarn/Estrella threshold. She would read Maka and Black Star bed time stories, cook for them when Spirit wasn't able to, and clean around the house. Hell, sometimes she'd drive them to and from school and take them out for ice cream. Maka and Black Star mutually agreed that they liked Blair a whole lot better than they liked Spirit. Even though Blair and Spirit weren't dating, the purple haired woman would come by weekly to check on the teens. She watched them grow up right before her eyes, and Maka wished she could say the same about her real mama.

"Where are you working now?" Maka asked, perching on the end of her bed.

"Smashing Pumpkin, nya! It's this restaurant and bar in the heart of downtown!" Blair tittered. "Mr. Mosquito pays well and I made a lot of friends!" she added. "If you're interested in a job, we're hiring," Blair winked. "There are back rooms where some of the girls and I perform, but other than that, it's a fully functional restaurant. You could all probably get jobs considering Spirit spends his salary on booze and women." Blair wrinkled her nose.

"I'll check it out," Maka nodded enthusiastically. She was going to have to pay for college on her own. "I wonder if Black Star's even considering college," Maka shared.

"Probably not," Blair shrugged, "but considering this video game addiction, maybe a job would help in funding it!"

"I'll talk to him when he wakes up. Want to stay for breakfast?" The younger girl offered.

"Nya, I'm sorry but I have to go, I have class in an hour," the buxom woman replied sadly.

"Class?" Maka quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh my! I must've forgotten to tell you Maka, I'm taking some classes at the community college to get my bachelor's in cosmetology!" Blair informed her excitedly, manicured hands flapping about.

"That's great Blair!" Maka smiled and quickly hugged her mother figure.

"Keep in touch Maka nya!" Blair stood up and dusted her clothes off.

"I will!" Maka reassured her, opening the door to lead her out.

"Text me when Spirit comes home. I want to make sure you guys aren't home alone for too long," Blair stood in the doorway. "If he isn't' home in the next few hours, just give me a call and I'll find out where he is," Blair offered. "What a bastard," she muttered.

Maka laughed quietly to not wake the boys, "Okay Blair, you don't want to be late. We'll be fine, and I'll tell Star you dropped by," Maka said hastily, shoving the older woman out of the door before she was late.

"Bye Maka!" Blair called from the porch, blowing Maka a kiss goodbye.

Maka just smiled and shut the door behind her, grabbing her neglected toast and ate it cold. She looked over into the living room. Black Star was snoring on the couch, puddle of drool accumulating on the pillow with every breath. Soul was curled up in a ball under a blanket on the floor, the only thing visible was his cocaine colored hair. His bed head looked cute, and she caught herself staring. Said boy stirred, grumbling and turning over. A few seconds later, he groaned and sat up bleary-eyed.

"Mornin'" Maka greeted casually from her seat at the table.

"Morning," Soul's voice came out deeper than usual, Maka pretending not to notice.

"Nice bed head," she teased.

"Shut up, tiny tits," he quipped back.

"Hey!" Maka flashed bright red, half anger half embarrassment. "I will poison your food." She threatened gravely.

"What's got your panties in a twist?" Soul asked halfheartedly, stretching his arms above his head.

"Wake up Star for me, would ya?" Maka called from the kitchen table.

Soul stood up and bent down in front of Black Star's sleeping form. Maka knew exactly what the teen was about to do, so she plugged her ears.

"BLACK STAR IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP!" Soul bellowed into his best friend's ear.

Black Star jolted awake, sinking back down into the sofa when he realized it was only Soul.

"What. The. Hell." Black Star croaked.

"Maka asked me to wake you up!" Soul grinned cheekily at the other boy.

"Your god demands to be left alone," Black Star ordered from under the covers.

"Black Star, Blair was here earlier. You just missed her." Maka announced. "Said that if we want, we can apply for jobs at Blair's work, Smashing Pumpkin."

"Yahoo!" Black Star beamed as if that was an acceptable and normal answer. "I've heard raves and rants about that place," Black Star wiggled his blue eyebrows suggestively at Soul. Soul just rolled his crimson eyes at him before trotting into the kitchen on the hunt for food.

He couldn't help but stare at Maka's long, creamy legs on display. She had them propped up on the chair adjacent to hers, nose buried in another book. He had to keep cool, his best friend's sister was _definitely_ off limits. She had always been a constant presence in his life, having spent much of his time at the Albarn/Estrella household, although he had never paid her much attention for lack of conversation starters. He had never thought of her in that way until today, and he shamed himself for it. Black Star would truly kick his ass into next Tuesday if he figured out Soul had even been _thinking_ about his precious little sister.

"I'm going to meet up with Tsubaki, Liz, and Patty at the mall to shop before I go get applications at Smashing Pumpkin. Do you two want applications as well?" Maka inquired.

"Sure," Soul replied coolly.

"Hell yeah Maks!" Black Star oozed enthusiasm much too early in the day. "Say hi to Baki for me and invite her over. Hell, invite all of the girls over, we'll call Kid!" Black Star gave another yahoo before creating a mess trying to find his phone.

Maka pretended not to notice and quickly changed into a pair of denim cut offs and a grey and white striped sweater. "I'll be back in a few hours, text me if papa gets home" Maka put on maroon converse and closed the door behind her, stepping out into the unusually cool Nevada air. She waited on the porch for Tsubaki's grey sedan to pull up. Her mind wandered to a certain snowy, shaggy haired boy, not noticing Tsubaki's car. The other girl honked the horn to get her attention, snapping Maka out of her reverie and sending her scrambling into the passenger side.

"What was that about?" Tsubaki asked.

"Just thinking," Maka shrugged the sweet girl off.

"How's Black Star?" The violet eyed girl asked.

"He's good, he's inviting you, the rest of the girls, and Kid over after we're done shopping. Soul spent the night last night," Maka informed the taller girl. She turned to the side and looked out the window, a meek attempt at hiding her blush at the mention of Soul.

"Oh, that'd be lovely!" Tsubaki smiled sweetly as she pulled the car into a space.

The pair got out of the car and headed towards Death City Mall's food court to meet the Thompson sisters. Make spotted Liz sitting across from her younger sister, Patty, who was devouring sushi as if it were her first meal in a while. Patty greeted the girls with a mouth full of fish, and Liz just sighed.

"Black Star and Soul are inviting Kid and you guys to our place after the mall," Maka informed the sisters.

"Sweet!" Patty cheered.

Once Patty was done stuffing her face, the group left to wander around the mall and window shop. Maka came across a black skater skirt with piano keys spiraling around it, and she wondered why she was so compelled to buy it. She shrugged to herself and made the purchase anyways.

"Since when have you been interested in the piano?" The oldest Thompson asked, seemingly came out of nowhere.

"I dunno," Maka brushed her off, "I just thought it was cute."

Liz's gun metal eyes bored into Maka's jade ones, analyzing her every word with a disinterested expression. It was a skill Liz and Patty had picked up in Brooklyn, having gambled to make end's meet. The Brooklyn Devils were a force to be reckoned with, and Maka found herself squirming under the eldest one's stare.

"Doesn't Soul play the piano?" Liz asked slyly, smirking at the smaller girl.

"Oh yeah, his family is full of prestigious musicians," Maka kept up her casual facade.

"Does someone want to impress Shark Boy?" Liz taunted, smirk turned wicked grin.

"Liz it's not like that!" Maka insisted. "I just like this skirt, okay?"

"Suit yourself," Liz let up, shrugging before mentioning she was going to find Patty.

Once the dirty blonde had left, Maka let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. If anyone could figure out what she was thinking about, it was Liz. Having grown up on the streets of new York, doing anything and everything to protect her little sister, Liz was inept at pinpointing weaknesses in everybody. Maka would hate to be Liz or Patty's enemy.

One hour and many sly glances from Liz later, Maka arrived back home with Smashing Pumpkin applications and the girls.

"Black Star! Soul! Kid!" Maka called as the door swung open.

It was unusually quiet for the Albarn/Estrella household. Much too quiet. Maka stepped inside and flicked on the lights, scanning the living room and kitchen. No sign of either boy, which was weird considering Soul's motorcycle was still parked in the driveway.

"Black Star!" Tsubaki called.

Maka stared quizzically at the girls, opting to check Black Star's room. The only things in there were piles of dirty clothes, some video games, and a basketball. Liz was in the backyard and Patty was in the kitchen, searching the cabinets which were logically much too small for those boys to fit into. Tsubaki called Black Star's cell to no avail.

Maka walked to the other end of the hall into her room, not expecting to find much. Maybe the guys went to get food or something because they were so impatient. A hand suddenly clamped over her mouth and she screamed into it, mind going into panic mode. She couldn't twist in the man's grip, so instead she clawed at his hand and elbowed him in the ribs, effectively being released. She whipped around, prepared to fight, but deflated when it was only Black Star. He was cackling and rubbing his rib cage, which Maka decided was the perfect opportunity to scream her head off and attack him again.

"YOU STUPID FUCKING IDIOT!" Maka quivered with rage. "WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU DO THAT?!" She punched his chest with as much force as she could muster.

Black Star was wheezing now, surely he had gotten an eight pack from all that laughing.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY, ASSHOLE!" Make shouted shrilly, sending the girls and Soul in running.

Her brother put his hands on his knees, gasping for breath. "Maka-" he laughed, "that was the BEST thing I have witnessed in my godly lifetime!" Black Star guffawed and high-fived Soul. Kid just shook his head, muttering something about imbeciles before greeting Liz with a kiss on the hand.

Maka growled and pushed passed him and the rest of the bunch, grabbing a glass of water as her boiling anger cooled to a simmer. "Idiot," she muttered with disdain, glaring over the rim of her glass at Black Star resuming his place on the couch. Honestly, she should be used to Black Star's pranks by now. She had lived with the blue monkey for fourteen years now after all.

"Did papa ever come back?" Maka asked from her perch on the kitchen counter.

"Yeah, for like an hour. He asked where you were and I told him you were out with friends and he demanded to know who. Insisted it was to protect his 'precious little darling princess Maka bear'" Black Star replied, chuckling over the noise of zombies groaning.

Maka rolled her eyes to the sky, flushing pink at the pet name her father had given her. "If he really wanted to protect me, he wouldn't have left me to walk home in the rain," she murmured.

The rest of Maka's night was watching the Saw movies with her friends, huddled on the couch between Black Star and Soul. There were points at which she wanted to gouge her eyes out, not because of the gory movie, but because of Black Star and Tsubaki sucking major face right next to her. Luckily, Liz and Kid were just sitting on the floor, her head buried in his chest and his hand brushing through her dirty blonde locks. The eldest Brooklyn Devil was nearly fearless, except when it came to horror movies. She glanced over at Soul, who stuck his tongue out and wrinkled his nose in Black Star's direction.

At one particularly bloody point in the movie, she buried her head in the crook of Soul's shoulder, wincing as if it were her dipping her hand in a bowl of acid. Soul sucked in a breath at the contact, averting his eyes to the crown of Maka's head. He found himself wondering if her hair was as soft as it looked, and he was tempted to reach a hand out to touch it. Patty caught his eye, and her sky blue eyes rose in surprise, a cheeky smile gracing across her round face. Soul's eyes widened and he shook his head at her, blushing, ' _No it wasn't what it looked like!'_ Patty just giggled and turned back around, stuffing popcorn into her mouth rapidly.

Soul tapped Maka on the shoulder, whispering that the goriest part was over. She jerked away from him, nearly clocking Black Star in the gut in the process.

"Sorry, I just don't like the bloody gross parts," Maka confessed to her snowy-haired friend.

"It's cool," Soul reassured her, eyes turning back to the screen. Maka sunk back into the couch cushions, left arm resting atop Soul's. If he noticed, he didn't seem to mind, and Maka didn't care enough to pull away.

The seven friends eventually finished four of the movies, falling asleep in less-than-comfortable positions. Maka took one last glance at everyone. Tsubaki and Black Star had finally stopped making out, and now Tsubaki was resting in the crook of Black Star's neck on the floor. Patty had cuddled up with her giraffe plushie, George, and Kid and Liz were nearby on the rug. Kid insisted on moving the coffee table directly in front of the tv for symmetrical reasons. Liz sighed and rubbed her temples, whining for Kid to stop being a 'pretentious piss baby' and go to sleep. Patty got him to settle down by sending him a chilling glare, silencing the golden-eyed teen.

Maka took one end of the couch and Soul took the other, whispering a goodnight before being lulled off into dreamland. That was the fastest Maka _and_ Soul had fallen asleep in months.

* * *

This is the first chapter of "My Brother's Best Friend"! The next chapter should be up sometime in the next week. Follows, favorites, and reviews are greatly appreciated, I'd love to hear your thoughts!


	2. Chapter 2

The next few weeks went by in a blur for Maka. Finals week was just around the corner, and she was definitely stressing out. Coffee and energy drinks were her new best friends. She _needed_ to beat Ox and keep her title of top of her class. She spent most of her days after school either in a study group or secluded in her room, cramming notes and finishing papers. Black Star and the occasional Soul would try to coax her out for ice cream or Luigi's, but Maka couldn't be stopped. Black Star knew better to argue, for Maka was as stubborn, if not more, than he was. She was so immersed in her studying that she didn't notice her father come home with a sultry woman, nor did she notice that they were making noise throughout the night.

Black Star didn't care about his grades, claiming that a god would not be stopped by something as menial as grade point average. Maka tried and tried again to get him to at least _open_ a book, but he refused and went back to playing his loud, violent video games.

"Bro, chill!" Black Star told Maka one evening. "A star like me can't be stopped by some stupid classes," he scoffed at the idea of studying. "Only nerds such as yourself study, and you're a flat chested bookworm who's been on like, one date. You haven't even made it to second base!"

"I'm more than my body and I'm certainly more than my past dates, Black Star," Maka growled out harshly. "At least I'm going somewhere in life!" She added. "I don't need stupid boys such as yourself to interfere with that."

"Hey!" Black Star exclaimed defensively. "I might be dumb but I'm not stupid!"

Maka's eyebrows knitted together as she tried to decipher what her brother was trying to convey. "Black Star, that makes absolutely no sense!" She sighed, exasperated.

"I bet you can't even get a guy to go on a date with you," Black Star taunted, laughing.

Maka's eyes hardened, and she glared at the blunette. "Just. You. Watch." She groveled before retreating back to her room to formulate a plan.

She hated the idea of a boy becoming a romantic companion, but she hated the idea of Black Star rubbing it in her face for the rest of eternity even more. Maka racked her brain for possible fake boyfriends, but she came up empty. The majority of her male classmates were strangers to her, and she'd rather avoid an extremely awkward conversation that was bound to end in disaster. Kid was taken, Ox was out of the question, the only other one was Soul, and that wouldn't work. Wait, maybe it would! The more Maka put her mind to it, the more she realized how positively _livid_ Black Star would be! He'd probably go on some hour-long rant about how Soul broke nearly every rule in the 'Bro Handbook'. Black Star was a giant dick at times, but the one thing he did care unconditionally for besides Tsubaki was his little sister, also known as his most loyal disciple. Maka grinned like a mad man, whipping out her phone to text Soul.

 **Maka: Hey Soul, I need a favor.**

 **Soul: yea, whats up?**

 **Maka: Black Star bet me that I couldn't get a boy to go on a date with me, and I need to prove him wrong.**

 **Soul: what do i have to do with it?**

 **Maka: I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend and take me out on a fake date.**

 **Soul: you realize hes gonna kill us when he finds out…right?**

 **Maka: Soul!**

 **Soul: fine fine i give. how do you think we're gonna be able to pull this off? star's hella protective of you, and id rather not end up with a broken nose**

 **Maka: I'll handle it. I just want to see the look on his face when he thinks that you and I are dating. It'll be priceless, a once in a lifetime opportunity.**

 **Soul: what is up with you two and your competitiveness?**

 **Maka: It's in my blood, and Black Star caught it through osmosis.**

 **Soul: yeah yeah nerd speak**

 **Maka: Shut up! It's simple science. Anyways, I have to go back to studying, but I'll talk to you about it tomorrow. Black Star's not gonna know what hit him.**

Soul could practically feel the competitive edge through the phone. He raked a hand through his spiky locks and sighed, knowing he was going to regret this decision immensely. It wouldn't be that hard to pretend he was Maka's boyfriend, and he hated to admit it, but he wished he didn't have to pretend. Ever since that day in the rain, he realized how subtly pretty Maka was. Her curves weren't the splitting at the seams type, but more like the run your hands up her body to find them type. Her jade eyes were full of knowledge and curiosity, and they gave away her emotions. Her pale porcelain skin looked delicate enough to break at a single touch, and her hair looked as if it was woven out of silk. The snowy-haired boy had no idea that he had a thing for tiny blonde bookworms, and if he didn't before, he certainly does now. She was totally, universally, eternally off limits, but he wasn't going to say no to her, even if it cost him broken appendages.

He got into bed and thought of how everything was going to play out, but he decided there was no positive outcome. His thoughts traveled back to Maka, how her long long legs were usually bare, draped across a piece of furniture. How he wanted to part them and have his way with her-fuck was that a boner?! Soul pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to focus on something else to no avail. He was hung up on nerdy, bookworm, flat chested Maka Albarn, and he was loving every minute of it.

Meanwhile, in the Albarn/Estrella household, competition was brewing.

"So Maka," Black Star leered, standing in the doorway to her room. "Any luck with a date? Or do you just want to admit defeat right here and now?" He purposely provoked the blonde.

"Oh Black Star," Maka replied, voice sugary sweet, "I have a date scheduled for Friday, and he'll be bringing me home." Her mouth contorted into a wide, honey-rich smile, jade eyes boring into his emerald ones.

Black Star's cocky grin fell from his face. "You're lying," he determined.

"I guess you'll have to wait and find out," Maka's grin somehow grew even wider.

Black Star looked indifferent and he swiveled around to retreat to his room. He was extremely skeptical, but something in his mind told him that Maka was telling the truth. Did his little sister really have a date? If so, he couldn't really do much because hey, he was the one who challenged her, but it was still unsettling. What if the guy was a total asshole and just wanted to get into Maka's pants? If Spirit ever caught word of that, he'd hang Black Star himself and then set him on fire. He knew Maka was smart and logical, but when it comes to competitions and bets, she tended to not think things all the way through. There was still the giant possibility that his little sister was bluffing. Yeah, that was probably it. Black Star went to bed without a doubt in his mind, Maka was totally bluffing.

Oh how wrong he was.

Finals week went smoothly, as did the fake date plans. Soul was supposed to meet Maka on Friday at six for sushi at Nigiyaki. After dinner, he'd take her home and Maka would introduce her new 'boyfriend' to her brother. Both Maka and Soul had to keep reminding themselves that they weren't actually going on a date, it was just to get a reaction out of Black Star.

Friday rolled around rather quickly, and the pair were both bundles of nerves. Maka had trouble concentrating in class, and she praised the gods that finals week was over. Soul was constantly looking over his shoulder as if Black Star was going to pop out of nowhere and body slam him.

"Maka?" Tsubaki, Liz, and Patty crowded around the pigtailed teen after class.

"Huh? What?" Maka snapped out of her day dream.

"The bell rang and you were just sitting here. Is everything okay?" Tsubaki asked, worried about her friend.

"Yeah don't worry Tsu, I'm fine!" Maka replied cheerfully. "I was just caught up in my thoughts. You know me," Maka added.

Liz and Patty were staring at her suspiciously, but Tsubaki seemed to buy it.

"If you need to talk to anyone, we're here for you!" Her violet eyes softened.

"Thanks guys," Maka smiled, collecting her books and standing up.

"Something's not right about Maka," Liz chatted with her sister as they parted ways with Maka and Tsubaki. "Both her and Soul have been a bit _comfy_ , dontcha think sis?" Liz asked the shorter blonde.

"Yup yup!" Patty smiled toothily, "While you were busy hiding your face in Kiddo's chest, Maka hid her face in Soul's!" Patty reported matter o' factly.

"Is that so?" Liz asked, devilish grin taking over her face.

"Mhmm!" Patty chirped. "As long as they're happy. They are happy, right sis?"

"Yeah Patty, they are," Liz smiled fondly, thinking of Maka and Soul as a couple.

Both of them were extremely stubborn and thickheaded. Soul was less extroverted than Maka, but he also supported her in everything she did. Soul seemed to be the boy whom she trusted most, save her own brother. In the recent months, the two had become rather close, usually hanging out with Black Star and the rest of the group, but occasionally going off and doing their own thing.

The sisters mutually agreed to let them have their secrets for now. They weren't exactly sure about how Black Star would handle their budding relationship, but they were on board and ready to sail.

Maka bolted after school, avoiding fellow classmates to get home and get ready before Black Star got back from swim practice. She came home to an empty house, surprise surprise, and raided her closet for something suitable.

She decided to keep it simple, but not bland. She pulled on the black skater skirt with the piano keys, which she had yet to wear, a white blouse with black Peter Pan collar, and a green blazer that accented her eyes. She let her ash blonde hair down from their pigtail confines, opting to leave it straight. She applied light mascara and her favorite strawberry lip balm, pulling on white flats with little bows on the heels. Make grabbed her black clutch and keys, locking the front door behind her before setting out to Nigiyaki. She kept wringing her hands together, what if Soul didn't like what she wore? She shook her head, reminding herself for the millionth time that she wasn't really going on a date. But boy did she want to. She thought of him as she walked down Main Street onto Sixth Avenue, how his voice dropped a few octaves when he was tired, and how his cocaine-colored hair stuck up at odd angles in the morning. She thought of how his sharp teeth and pianist fingers could work wonders-what was she thinking?! Maka took a deep breath and kept walking, forcing herself not to think about her brother's best friend like that.

Maka arrived five minutes early, but she was surprised to see a shock of white hair sitting in a booth across the room. The hostess escorted her to Soul, winking as she left to get them water.

"Hey," Maka greeted, sitting down.

"Yo," Soul said casually from across the booth, not looking up from the menu.

Maka's spirits deflated a little bit, he didn't even look at her! But he had no obligation to, it's not like they were actually boyfriend and girlfriend or anything.

Soul then put the menu down, having decided on a crunchy roll, and his ruby red eyes scanned Maka's body lazily. His main focus was her lips, and he caught himself staring and ripped his eyes away. Make coughed awkwardly, blush slowly creeping up her cheeks.

During that time, Maka took the liberty to assess Soul's outfit. He wore a black v-neck t-shirt that exposed his clavicle, and his signature black leather jacket was draped over the back of the booth. His stark white hair was being kept out of his eyes by a cream colored headband with a mouth patch on the right side, comic book lettering spelling the word 'EAT!'.

"What do you think Star's gonna think?" Soul asked nonchalantly after they placed their orders.

"I have an idea, and you're not gonna like it." Maka admitted grimly.

"But I like you," Soul blurted. "I mean, as a friend of course." He hastily covered.

"Uh-yeah, I like you as a friend too Soul." Maka reiterated. "So, what kind of music do you like?" She asked, taking a sip of her water.

"Jazz. I really like jazz," Soul replied, not missing a beat.

"Isn't your family comprised of classical musicians?" Maka inquired.

Soul involuntarily shrunk back. "Yeah, but I didn't really follow that path. I couldn't live up to Evans family standards, and jazz was like a balm on wounds. I composed a piece of my own on the piano, worked really hard and all that, and when I showed it to my dad, he called it disgusting and disappointing. After that, I never tried to compose something ever again." Soul admitted, ruby eyes downcast at the table.

"I'm sorry Soul," Maka apologized sincerely.

"You didn't do anything wrong," Soul stated.

"I know, but I'm still sorry that your family treats you that way." Make said earnestly.

"It's cool," Soul brushed her off, not wanting to let her get so close. He'd already revealed more than he had told Star. For some unknown reason, he felt like he could tell Maka anything and that she wouldn't judge him for it. "I don't see them much, so it's not like it matters anymore."

"You don't live with your family?" Maka asked, surprised.

"Nah, I was emancipated last year. They still send me rent and food money, I guess you could call it a peace offering." Soul informed her. "I finished my application to Smashing Pumpkin, so hopefully I can start making my own money."

"Oh right!" Maka exclaimed, having forgotten about Smashing Pumpkin. "I'll finish mine tonight and maybe tomorrow we can go together and turn them in. That is, if Black Star doesn't break your face first," Maka's silver bell laughter was the prettiest thing Soul had ever heard.

"Sounds like a plan," Soul flashed his sharp teeth before digging in to his sushi.

"Hungry much?" Maka mused, watching Soul shove the last piece into his mouth with vigor.

"Sorry," Soul apologized after he was done chewing. "I forgot to eat lunch."

Maka nodded in understanding, checking her watch. It was 7:30, and she was sure Black Star was stewing right about now.

"I forgot to ask you, what kind of music do you like?" Soul queried.

"Electronic," Maka replied without hesitation.

Soul made a face at this, shaking his head and tutting. "You have bad taste," he said bluntly.

"I do not!" Maka protested, "I just don't really get music, especially lyrics, so electronic is easy for me to understand," she explained simply.

"Ah, you need a music education." Soul wouldn't let up.

Maka just rolled her eyes, having heard that a million times.

The waitress came by again, bringing by mochi ice cream topped with whipped cream and cherries.

"We didn't order this," Maka spluttered.

"It's on the house," the waitress winked. "Nancy thought you two were too adorable to not treat."

"Oh err-we aren't dating," Soul stuttered, face flushing red that rivaled his eyes.

"Nonsense," the waitress flapped her hands, grinning at the white haired boy before leaving to go take care of another table.

"That was weird," Maka laughed nervously.

"Yeah, but I'm not gonna pass up free ice cream!" Soul grabbed his spoon and dove into the cool treat. His eyes fluttered closed as he savored the sweet mango flavor and fluffy whipped cream.

Maka giggled and followed suit. It was heaven in their mouths, and both of them didn't care about anything else in that moment.

"I should get you back home before Black Star tears up the town looking for you," Soul commented.

Maka groaned in protest, but she knew her 'date' was right. "If we must," Maka stood up after leaving five bucks for the waitress.

Soul did the same. He pulled on his leather jacket and straightened his headband before gesturing for her to exit. It was then that he noticed she was wearing a skirt adorned with piano keys. He assumed it was coincidental, but he really hoped it wasn't.

"Nice skirt," he complimented once they were outside.

"Thanks, I haven't really had the chance to wear it. I bough it a few months ago on the day Black Star decided to sneak attack me." Maka acknowledged the way Soul's eyes raked up and down her body once more.

"It looks nice on you. You look nice, bookworm." Soul commented endearingly.

"Thanks Soul," she smiled brightly at him, eyes crinkling at the corners. "You look nice too. I like your headband especially. Makes you look less badass and more dorky, but in a good way!" Maka insisted.

"Not exactly the look I was going for, but it'll have to do." Soul replied, kicking up the kickstand and mounting his motorcycle. "Helmet's in the left compartment," he told her.

Maka was glad she wasn't soaking wet the second time she rode on Marley, grateful that her skirt was longer this time. She shoved the helmet over her head and snaked her arms around his waist, bracing herself for the ride ahead as the beast purred to life beneath them.

She was less scared this time around, that was for sure, but she was still afraid of what would go down when she got back home. They pulled up much too fast for her liking, and she pulled the helmet off her head, thanking Soul for dinner and the ride home.

"No problem, tiny tits," Soul had to remain inconspicuous. He totally didn't have a giant crush on his best friend's sister, not at all. He also totally didn't like her more because she didn't pry or use him in any way, shape, or form, except to get back at her thickheaded brother.

Maka hit him on the arm before trudging up the steps to 42 Azure Way. Surely, Black Star would rip Soul a new one. She stood there and hesitated for a minute. Soul was standing right behind her, hot breath on her ear. She shuddered involuntarily and twisted the knob, steeling herself for the shit storm that was to come.

"Maka!" Black Star leapt up from the couch at the sound of the door opening. "Where have you been?!"

"On a date, idiot." Maka scoffed, opening the door wider to reveal a grinning Soul.

"Sup," Soul greeted from behind her.

Black Star's face contorted from relief to surprise to confused to rage in a matter of seconds. The blue-haired monkey seemed to be at a loss for words. He raised a finger as if he was about to scold them, but put it back down and shutting his mouth.

"Bro," was all Black Star could manage to say.

"Before you do something stupid Black Star," Maka stared pointedly at her brother. "You bet me I couldn't get a date, and guess what? I proved you wrong. So now I get bragging rights, tv selection for the week, and you get to cook every weeknight!" Maka adorned a shit eating grin adjacent to Soul's.

"Bro!" Black Star directed at Soul. "That's my-" he spluttered indignantly.

"Aupaupaup!" Maka chided. "You technically gave me permission to date whomever I want. So you don't get to say shit. Plus, you doubted me _and_ I know you were secretly worried that I was gonna go out with some meat head. Really Black Star? I'm Maka fucking Albarn, I'm not an idiot." She reminded him.

"I know Maka, it's just that it's _Soul_! My best friend! You can't possibly like an albino like him! He's probably nasty and doesn't shower enough and hasn't ever been on a real date despite his bad boy look and he sleeps during class and-" Black Star started to ramble.

"Thanks for having so much faith in me bro," Soul stepped around Maka and patted Black Star on the back.

"Don't touch me with your grody hand!" Black Star was nearly in hysterics. "What happened to bro code?!" He sounded wounded and betrayed.

Soul rolled his crimson eyes. "Chill Star, we didn't even do anything remotely romantic. Quit being a sap!"

"YOU WENT ON A DATE! A DATE!" Black Star was now jumping around, hands gripping his hair as if he was about to rip it from his scalp. "THAT'S MY SISTER YOU LITTLE MAN WHORE!" He shouted. "I OUGHTA RIP THAT HEAD BAND OFF AND STRANGLE YOU WITH IT! NO WAY IN HELL ARE YOU GOING OUT WITH MAKA! DUDE, SHE'S FLAT CHESTED AND NERDY! I CAN HOOK YOU UP WITH THE ENTIRE CHEERLEADING TEAM IF YOU WANT!" Black Star was panicking. Soul and Maka just sighed, not bothering to try to get him to stop ranting. "THERE ARE GIRLS WITH LOTS BIGGER ASSETS THAN MAKA!" He paused to chuckle at the word ass. Maka and Soul shared a dead look. "COME ON BRO! I DON'T WANT YOUR NASTY DICK INSIDE MY MOST LOYAL DISCIPLE! MAKA WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T PUT SOUL'S NASTY ALBINO DICK INSIDE YOUR MOUTH, OKAY?!" Black Star was now up in Maka's face, and Maka could've sworn she was Black Star's eyes roll back into his head for a second.

"Black Star!" Maka cried, exasperated.

The blunette didn't respond, deciding to shake her slim shoulders back and forth instead. "NO BOYS! NO BOYS ALOUD! ESPECIALLY NOT THIS MAN WHORE!" He spluttered and pointed an accusing finger at Soul.

"You're so contradictory!" Soul yelled. "First you say I haven't been on a date and then you call me a man whore! Bro, the inconsistencies."

"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP! YOU CAN'T DEFILE MAKA, HER FATHER'S ALREADY EXPOSED HER TO TOO MUCH! HER POOR VIRGIN EYES AND EARS!" Black Star succeeded in ripping a few strands of sky blue hair out, although he didn't seem to notice. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" He roared at Soul, forest green eyes alight with fire.

Soul just sighed, waving goodbye to Maka which elicited a shrill whine of protest from Black Star. Once he was gone, Black Star forced Maka to plant her butt on the couch and listen to yet another one of his lectures regarding the birds and the bees, how she shouldn't disobey her god, and how boys were crusty and gross.

"Yeah, you're a prime example," Maka muttered under her breath. "I get it Black Star," she told him, "but I'm going to see whoever I want and theres nothing you can do about it. You could always tell papa, but you know what he'll do."

Black Star shivered at the thought, even though he claimed he was a fearless star who was going to transcend God one day, one thing he wouldn't ever be able to transcend was his adoptive father. Spirit meant well half of the time, and he cared immensely about Maka. According to Blair, he was staying the weekend at some random escort's house, which was just fine with them.

"You might want to finish your Smashing Pumpkin application, I'm turning it in tomorrow. Blair put in a good word for you, me, and Soul." Maka steered away from the topic of 'Ten Reasons Why Maka Albarn Should Not Date Soul Eater Evans', a presentation brought to you by Blake Estrella.

"Yahoo! Your god already finished filling it out!" Black Star was successfully distracted. His ADHD got even worse at night, and Maka used that tot her advantage.

"Okay, I'll turn it in for you tomorrow," Maka told him. "I'm gonna go to bed, night Star," she yawned, covering her mouth with one hand, waving goodbye with the other as she retreated to her room.

She pulled off her shoes and her outfit, changing into pink pajama shorts and a grey tank top before heading to the bathroom to take off her makeup and brush her teeth. She hopped into bed and flicked off the light, reflecting on the night's events. The fake date had gone well, but it felt pretty genuine to her. She was going to see Soul tomorrow, so she hoped that over time, Black Star would be okay with them hanging out without him. Black Star could've handled that situation a lot better than he did, but he also could've handled it a lot worse, and Maka was grateful that he hadn't. If her papa had been home, hell would've broken loose and she had a feeling she'd have to take Soul to the hospital while Black Star held a foaming-at-the-mouth Spirit back. Maka closed her eyes and floated off to dreamland, mind occupied by thoughts of boys with ruby red eyes who loved jazz music.

* * *

Here's chapter two! This one came pretty fast, but sometime's I do get writer's block, so bear with me. Black Star is probably the funniest character to write and I always have fun doing it. Follows, favorites, and reviews especially are much appreciated! Stay tuned, thank you guys for the support!


	3. Chapter 3

Maka smoothed back her hair as she made her way down to the street from her house. Soul was supposed to pick her up and take her to Smashing Pumpkin to turn in their job applications. She had absolutely no idea what Black Star would be able to contribute to the restaurant, but she didn't think much of it.

Her jade eyes roamed to the end of the street where she could hear Soul's motorcycle approaching. He skid to a stop right in front of her feet, grinning toothily at her and patting the seat behind him. She quickly pulled on the helmet and held on, body pressed against his as they whipped through the streets of Death City.

The pair arrived in front of Smashing Pumpkin, a red brick building with murals decorating the sides and a neon sign indicating it was open. There was a giant sign perched above the entrance, reading " **SMASHING PUMPKIN: RESTAURANT, BAR, & CLUB" **in big, neon orange letters. Maka stepped inside, holding the door open for Soul, and they strode to the front desk.

"Ms. Marie?" Maka asked, shocked as she approached the honey blonde woman.

"Maka!" Marie stepped around the desk to envelop the girl in a hug. "Oh, hi Soul!" She greeted over Maka's shoulder.

"I didn't know you worked here!" Maka pulled away.

"Oh yes, Frank and I both do. He's a surprisingly good bar tender," Marie flitted her golden eye to the bar where Stein was mixing drinks. "What brings you here?"

"Soul and I are applying for work here. So is Black Star, but he decided not to come with us. Another employee here recommended this place, said the pay was good." Maka explained to the teacher.

"I'll take your applications," Marie held her hands out, Maka placing the three packets in her hands. "Want me to show you guys around?" She offered.

"Sure!" Maka chirped, dragging Soul by the arm.

"There's the bar," Marie pointed out, waving to Stein. 21 and over, obviously." She giggled. "Back through that door are the more private parties and exhibition room," Marie pointed at a black, unassuming door towards the back of the restaurant. "18 and over," she added. "That's the seating area, the kitchen, and the piano." Marie concluded.

Soul, who Maka was still holding on to, tensed up at the sight. A sleek black grand piano dominated the corner of the restaurant near the bar.

"Sadly, nobody's really played it recently. We do need a musician, it helps entertain the guests," Marie said, oblivious to Soul's discomfort and Maka's excitement.

"Soul plays the piano!" Maka couldn't help but blurt.

The white haired boy yanked his wrist from Maka's grasp before insisting that no, he didn't play the piano. At least not well, anyways. Ruby red eyes glared at Maka's innocent green ones, silently hoping Marie wouldn't press him any further. The English teacher was known for adoring Maka, so Soul was at a disadvantage.

"Is that so?" Marie asked.

"No-" Soul started to explain his heritage and why he didn't fit in.

"Yes, he can. His family is comprised of prestigious classical musicians but after his father criticized his own composition, he turned to jazz. He prefers to go with the flow rather than sit straight and smile." Maka explained. "He hasn't really played the piano since he was young, but it's like riding a bike!" Maka insisted.

"Soul? Why didn't you tell me?" Marie's golden eye turned to him.

"It's not important," Soul said. "I haven't seen them in a year, and I wasn't planning on bringing up my shaky past, but someone couldn't keep their mouth shut." He glared at Maka who looked a little sheepish. "Look Ms. Marie, I'd love to work here, but I'm not sure if I'm comfortable playing the piano," he cast a disgusted look towards the black beast.

"Hm," Marie hummed in acknowledgement. "You guys are hired, tell Black Star he is too. You guys are required to wear all black including your shoes, girls must tie their hair back, and you must always have a smile on your face." Marie beamed. "Maka, you can be hostess, tell Black Star he can be bus boy for starters, and that leaves Soul." Marie mulled over him for a second. "We really do need a piano player. Nothing fancy like a recital or anything, but we have a songbook." Marie's eye blinked owlishly at him.

Soul stared up at the high ceiling as if wondering why God placed him here in this very moment. "Fine." Soul muttered, bitter taste in his mouth. It wasn't like he didn't like the piano, because he did. But along with the piano came bad childhood memories.

"That's great!" Marie and Maka chimed in unison, clapping their hands.

"Yeah yeah," Soul brushed off.

"Maka, you and Black can start your first shifts tomorrow morning. Come in around nine. Shifts are usually four to five hours, depending on who's working that day. Soul, you can start a bit later, let's say twelve? You all get breaks and get any tips you receive."

"Can we stop in to see Blair?" Maka asked, gesturing to the black door at the back.

"The purple-haired woman?" Marie inquired.

"Yeah, that's her. She's a friend of ours. Kind of like a care taker of sorts."

Marie looked relieved to see that Maka was not wanting a job in that field, but rather wanted to see a friend instead.

"Oh yes, of course. Just head on back, I think they're still getting ready." Marie chirped, heading off to take care of something.

"Come on Soul," Maka beckoned when she realized he wasn't following her.

"I'm gonna hang back." Soul said bitterly. "I feel shitty," and with that, he pushed open the doors to Smashing Pumpkin and sat against the wall.

Maka hadn't had a doubt in her mind that Soul was going to hop on board, but boy was she wrong. She realized that when there was a piano, there was an unsupportive family and critical words beating down on him. She winced at how that must've made him feel, spirits deflating a little bit before pushing open the black door.

"We're not open yet!" A familiar voice called from behind the red curtains.

"Blair, it's Maka!"

A scantly dressed Blair popped out from behind them, running over to hug Maka. Yet again, Maka's face was planted in Blair's cleavage, now amplified due to the lacy bra she was wearing. She pulled back and apologized for the suffocation once again and Maka laughed.

"What brings you here, kitten?" Blair asked, almost nude.

"Uh Blair, your clothes," was all Maka could say. Blair was wearing a purple lacy bra with fur trim and a purple and black thong to match.

"Usually I wear a bit more than this, don't worry, nya!" Blair reassured the younger woman.

"That's good," Maka replied weakly. "I just wanted to stop by and say hi. Soul and I came here to drop off ours and Star's applications. We're all hired!" Maka smiled.

"Nya! That's great Maka!" Blair enveloped her into another hug, albeit less tight than the one before. "Now my little kittens can be close! Oh by the way, I heard that your dad will be back probably by the time you get home. Good luck, Maka." Blair's golden eyes became stern. "Where's Soul?" She asked, realizing he wasn't with her.

"Oh uh he's waiting outside. He needed a break," Maka said curtly. "I should get going now Blair, papa's gonna start to worry," she rolled her jade eyes at this, "our first shift is tomorrow though so I'll try to come say hi. Bye Blair!" Maka hugged the taller woman goodbye, heading back out to Marley.

"Hey," Maka announced when she was in earshot.

"Let's get you home. Star texted me to tell you that your dad's back, so I'll just drop you off and head home." Soul told her without making eye contact.

Maka quietly got on. The ride was silent the whole way home, and just as Maka was unlacing her hands from Soul's waist, her papa stormed outside.

"Get your filthy hands off my Maka!" The redheaded shouted from the porch.

"Chill old man, I wasn't touching her," Soul replied from his seat.

"Are you sassing me octopus head?!" Spirit was waving his hands in circles now. "I don't want filthy boy scum contaminating my dearest little angel! Get away!"

"Papa!" Maka shouted.

"Maka darling, did he hurt you?!"

"No! He's a friend papa, a friend!" She repeated. She wished he wasn't just a friend, but no way could such a cool guy like Soul fall for a nerd like her. What she had failed to notice was that Soul had seemed to sink further down into his seat, ruby eyes focused on the metal handlebars rather than the red-headed man blowing his top. "If anything, you should take your own advice! You're the one who forgot me in the rain, neglected to come home and stay the night for days, and left me and Black Star with little money for food! Blair came by and took care of us. She's a better parent than you'll ever be." Maka shouted scathingly, hand on Soul's shoulder.

Spirit was now crumpled up on the porch, wailing his head off. Maka just sighed, rolling her eyes. Soul was staring at him, shellshocked.

"Sorry you had to hear that, Soul. My papa's just a BIG FAT IDIOT," she yelled the last portion of her sentence which reduced her father to more tears. "I should probably get going, but look, I'm really sorry that I told Marie you were a pianist. I wasn't thinking but it was so coincidental, you know? I didn't really think of the bad memories that the piano brought along, and I'm sorry that I cornered you into saying yes to Marie. If you want, I can tell her that you're really not comfortable with it, I mean it was my fault and-" Maka rambled on, eyes focused on her boots.

"Maka," Soul snapped the girl out of her reverie, "it's okay. I mean, I was gonna have to get over it at some point, and Marie was right. It won't be some formal recital with everybody expecting me to be as good as my brother and being disappointed when I'm not. It'll just be me and my piano. I'll see you tomorrow Maka," Soul stared up at her and gave her a hug from the side. She leaned into his warm body, eliciting a pained groan from her father who was now sniffling against the front door.

Maka waved goodbye to Soul as he drove off on his motorcycle, wishing that her papa didn't have to ruin every little thing for her.

"Papa," she called as she walked up the steps.

"Yes Maka dearest?" Spirit blubbered.

"I liked it better when you left us alone. I know exactly what you were doing that whole time, and you get mad at me for having a friend? What about you spending all of our money on booze and girls? If anyone's filthy boy scum, it's you." She ground out, stepping around him and inside where Black Star was listening and watching through the peep hole.

"Damn, Maks. You really showed him!" Black Star laughed.

"He's a chauvinistic pig and deserved everything I told him," Maka replied simply. "By the way, we got the jobs. You're starting as bus boy and I'm on hostess duty. We start tomorrow, nine am. Wear all black."

"Yahoo!" Black Star fist pumped the air. "What about Soul?"

"He's coming in later. He's actually playing the piano," Maka mused.

"No way dude! Really?" Black Star's emerald eyes widened in surprise.

"I know! Marie convinced him. Her and Stein work there actually. And I said hi to Blair, she said we can stop by any time and that she's glad to have us around. Wished us luck with papa too," Maka shot a glance to the door that her father was slumped against.

"Damn, not even I, Soul's best bro in the world of bromies, have seen Soul play." Black Star said in awe.

"He won't be playing his own stuff, just songs from the song book." Maka told her brother. "Took a lot of convincing though."

"Soul says the piano brings up bad memories," Black Star shrugged, returning back to his video game.

The first work day at Smashing Pumpkin went surprisingly well, considering Black Star had a tendency to not use his inside voice and Soul hated the piano with a burning passion. The two kept it together, with a little help from Maka's glares and threats of impending Maka-chops if they didn't do their jobs properly. The customers were pleasant and they tipped well too. Maka couldn't see Soul playing the piano from her hostess station, but she could hear the delicate notes floating through the air. She could almost picture the disinterested look on his face, lazy red eyes grazing over the crowd.

When the trio's shifts were over, Maka grabbed Black Star from the bar where he was attempting to entertain the guests with his subpar magic tricks before heading over to Soul at the piano.

"Soul, shift's over," Maka announced once the white haired teen was done playing.

"I'm gonna stay a bit longer," Soul replied, not meeting her eyes.

"But you hate the piano," Maka's ash blonde eyebrows rose.

"Maka, it's fine. I'll see you guys later," Soul and Black Star shared an intricate hand shake before they parted ways.

"That was weird," Maka said to her brother as they pushed open the doors into the afternoon air.

Black Star just shrugged, guffawing at how concerned she seemed to look. "Don't worry Maks, he probably just wants to make a little extra money." The blunette took off down the street, yelling at innocent bystanders about how they should bask in his godly greatness.

Maka just sighed and trailed after him, sending apologetic looks to the stranger in her rambunctious brother's path. She still couldn't determine the reasoning behind Soul's decision to voluntarily play the piano longer than he had to, but she decided that her brother was probably right for once, and didn't think anything of it until their next shift.

Yet again, the ruby eyed boy opted to stay behind, and word from Marie told Maka that he had stayed past closing time, taking few breaks and working away at the ebony instrument. It was down right out of character for Soul, who had too much repressed childhood angst for his own good.

Maka decided to confront him after her shift got off.

"Soul, why do you keep staying behind? I thought you hated the piano!"

"I do," Soul said, again not looking up from the piano.

"Then why?" Maka stomped her foot.

"None of your business. Don't you have some books to read, Tiny Tits?" Soul quipped.

Maka turned beet red before chopping him over the head with a hardcover. "Idiot," Maka muttered before stomping away.

She hated the fact that she harbored feelings for that boy. He was an asshole sometimes who slept during class, cared way more about being cool, slouched, shed like no other, and constantly insulted her bust size, or lack thereof. She was mad that her papa was never around and that he chased her mama out, she was mad that she didn't seem to let any boy in, not that she wanted to, save Black Star, until that one day when Soul gave her a ride home in the rain. She was also mad that she knew she would never be good enough for oh so cool Soul Eater Evans. He went for girls with big assets who didn't chop him over the head with tomes of literature, and Maka knew that. She knew that she shouldn't like him, because he was her brother's best friend and he would never go for a girl like her. She knew that she shouldn't like him, but she did.

As she sat alone in her room, overwhelmed with sadness, Soul was tapping at ivory keys in downtown. He was for once meticulous in his work, fully immersed in finishing what he had started. It was just a matter of time before it was finished.

* * *

Chapter 3 is finally up! Sorry that it took so long to update, I've been really busy these past few weeks. Also, sorry that this chapter is so short, but I decided to cut it off on a cliffhanger. What's Soul up to? Anyways, tune in for next time, thank you for the support, reads, and reviews!


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